


The caged beast with a heart

by LucidaCentury (Sephora909)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Caged!Rumple, F/M, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-23
Updated: 2014-03-23
Packaged: 2018-01-16 18:47:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1358053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sephora909/pseuds/LucidaCentury
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zelena gives a crazed Rumpelstiltskin an unconscious Belle fully believing that he’ll “have his way” with Belle. But she is shocked to find Rumpelstiltskin fawning over the girl. Gathering the meager straw in his cage to keep her warm. Lightly brushing her hair. And singing a lullaby to her. (Set between 3x13 and 3x14).</p>
            </blockquote>





	The caged beast with a heart

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr version](http://lucidacentury.tumblr.com/post/80473798962/rumbelle-cage-prompt)

As all the other nights since he got in that cage, Rumplestiltskin couldn’t sleep. His mind was too loud, too busy with thoughts of all kind, to be put to rest. How to escape? When was his next meal? How to kill that witch in the most satisfactory way? Would the rat in the corner of the room come closer to his cell so he could snap its neck? Everything was dancing in the maddening folly his world had become. Then it all stopped.

There were steps, coming toward the cellar door. Not Zelena’s usual dynamic pace. But it was her for sure. Or her heels, at least. She had to carry something heavy to get slowed down like that. Would he get a present? How he would love to get a present! A nice little thing to tear apart!

Feigning disinterest, he stayed at the back of his cage, keeping on working at his spinning wheel. Very slowly, he turned his head toward the damned witch. As soon as he saw her burden, he froze and his composure fell apart. Those elegant shoes. Those dainty legs. He knew them.

“Look what I’ve found skulking around my house: a brainless little mouse.”

The dread of seeing her here, in this dangerous place, was making him move slowly. And yet, the need to protect her at all costs was making a wild rage boil inside of him. When Zelena put the slender body none too gently on the ground, Rumplestiltskin got as close to her as possible. His whole frame was completely pressed against the door of his cage, his fists clutching the bars, pressing his face painfully against the wire netting. If she had done any harm to his dear Belle, then he had found a way to put his missing sanity to good use.

Oblivious to the danger, his guarding angel was risking her life to find him, a worthless coward yearning for love yet unable to accept it. Surely he did not deserve her. He lived to forget himself in their conversations, to be elated by her loving smile, to drown in the sea of her deep blue eyes. To let her tame the darkest side of him.

“Give her to me,” he said in a breathless voice. “Get her inside.”

Zelena stared at him with a mix of surprise and satisfaction.

“Oh my, Rumplestiltskin. I thought you were only taking babies away. When did you start to prey on young women?”

His annoyance had reached its limits, as did his patience.

“Give her to me! I need her! Give her to me!” he yelled and punched and kicked the door of his cage.

When his fist of rage passed, he once again flushed himself against the wire netting of his cell. He stared longingly at Belle’s body. Being so near to her and yet separated from her was the worst torture he ever suffered. His craving for holding her in his arms made him unconsciously rock his hips against the wall of his cage. He almost moaned her name in desperation.

“Rumple! You dirty beast!” the witch teased him.

There was a twinkle of mischief dancing in her eyes. She clearly enjoyed this situation.

“All right. I’ll leave her to you, since you crave so much for a mate. I hope she will satisfy your needs. After all, even I care for my pets.”

The witch chuckled at her own display of power, thinking she was throwing the innocent woman to the mercy of the crazed beast. As for Rumplestiltskin, he only heard her first words of agreement. He didn’t give a damn for the rest.

He watched intently as Zelena lifted Belle’s limp body. With a wave of the hand, Rumplestiltskin was thrown backward, and the door of his cage opened. Deliberately slowly, his wicked enemy came in, just to show him who was in control. Too bad he only had eyes for his beloved.

As soon as he saw Zelena meant to throw Belle on the ground, Rumplestiltskin rushed to catch her. His grip on her turned soft when he realized he was hurting her. She seemed to be fine, if not for the bleeding wound at the back of her head which he immediately healed with his magic. His brave dear Belle. She never should have come to this sordid place.

The loud closing noise of his cage couldn’t tear his gaze off his beautiful Belle. Holding her in his arms was such a relief, it could have made him cry. She was safe. She loved him. And they were together. How could this be real? He slowly bent over her, and brushed his trembling lips against her forehead to leave a delicate kiss.

“What are you doing?” Zelena asked with a tone that betrayed her complete lack of understanding.

This time, Rumplestiltskin looked away from Belle to glare at Zelena.

“If you come near her, or harm her in any way,” he threatened her with his dangerously sharp high-pitched tone, “I give you my word I will kill you in the most painful way, even if it is the last thing I do.”

Their eyes locked. Even though the Dark One grinned her with a feral rage, it certainly wasn’t fear he saw in Zelena’s gaze. It was disgust, puzzlement, even shock. She would never understand. He had wasted enough time with her.

Not caring in the least if his captor stayed to gawk at him, Rumplestiltskin carried Belle to the far end of his cage. He gathered all the straw he found there and carefully laid it out under her to make her more comfortable. The suit jacket he had discarded after he nearly tore it apart when he first got there made a nice blanket.

Once he was satisfied with the makeshift bed, he stayed near Belle and lovingly watched her rest. With a shaking hand, he brushed a strand of hair off her face. How could such a generous and devoted woman be real? How could she be his? For a brief moment, he wondered it wasn’t the madness playing tricks on him. However, his mind had never been clearer than it was now. His sweet Belle, his dear treasure… Her sole presence kept his darkness at bay.

Sleep was even starting to come back to him, making his eyelids heavy. To keep Belle warm, he snuggled close to her, and put his head in the hollow of her neck. Then he started to sing to her in a hushed tone:

“Will you stay with me, will you be my love, among the fields of barley. We’ll forget the sun, in his jealous sky, as we lie in the fields of gold.”

**Author's Note:**

> The song Rumple sings is [this version](http://www.deezer.com/track/74332424) of Sting's Fields of Gold.


End file.
